Easel

ABSTRACT

An easel includes three base members configurable as a triangle and three support members configurable to extend from each of the vertices of the triangle and terminate in a common vertex to define a tetrahedron or a pyramid with a triangular base. The easel may include an elasticized cord threaded through the base members and the support members, which may be hollow tubes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This utility patent application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/718,455 filed on Sep. 20, 2005, which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to drawing easels and, more particularly, to portable drawing easels.

BACKGROUND

Artists frequently are required to move equipment to an art class, a studio or another location from which to draw a scene. Thus, it can be advantageous to use light-weight, portable equipment, which is easy to set up and provides a stable drawing platform.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, an easel includes a first, second and third base member configurable as a triangle and a first, second and third support member configurable to extend from each of the vertices of the triangle and terminate in a common vertex to define a tetrahedron or a pyramid with a triangular base.

Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. For example, the easel may include an elasticized cord extending through the first, second and third base member and/or an elasticized cord extending through the first, second and third support member.

The base members may have inner and outer base poles that are attached by an adjustable locking mechanism. The support members may also include inner and outer support poles that are attached by an adjustable locking mechanism.

The easel may have a carrying pouch that includes a flat panel and more than one attachment mechanism to attach the first, second and base member to the flat panel. For example, the attachment mechanism may be hook and loop fabric fasteners such as velcro.

The easel may have a peg with a shaft that can be inserted into one of the support members to attach a drawing frame member to the easel. The peg may have a first plate and a second plate attached to the shaft to define a channel that receives the drawing frame member.

As another feature, the easel may include an elasticized cord with hooks at each end. The hooks can be attached to a picture frame member and the elasticized cord can be wrapped around the support members. A tightening device may be used to reduce the length of the elasticized cord.

In another general aspect, an easel includes a first, second and third base member configurable as a triangle, a first, second and third support member configurable to extend from each of the vertices of the triangle and terminate in a common vertex to define a tetrahedron, an elasticized cord extending through the first, second and third base member and the first, second and third support member to bias the base members and the support members in a tetrahedral shape or a pyramid with a triangular base, a carrying pouch that attaches to the first, second and third base member to stabilize the base members and a peg insertable within one of the support members to receive a picture or drawing frame member. Embodiments may include one or more of the features described above.

In a further general aspect, a method of setting up an easel having base members configurable as a triangle, support members configurable to extend from each of the vertices of the triangle and to terminate in a common vertex, an elasticized cord extending through the base and support members and a carrying pouch, the method including setting the base members on a flat surface in a triangular configuration, extending the support members from the base members in a pyramid or tetrahedral shaped configuration, attaching the carrying pouch to the base members and attaching a picture frame member to one of the support members. Embodiments may include one or more of the features described above.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B show easel support and base members in folded and extended positions;

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the easel in a folded and in an assembled position;

FIGS. 3A-3C shows a peg that attaches a drawing frame to the easel;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the easel supporting a drawing canvas;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are rear views of the easel supporting a drawing canvas; and

FIG. 7 shows the easel carrying pouch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the easel includes three base members 14 configurable as a triangle and three support members 12 that extend from each of the vertices of the triangle and terminate in a common vertex. Each support member 12 and base member 14 has inner and outer poles held together by a locking mechanism, which can be used for length adjustment. FIG. 1A shows the support members 12 and base members in extended positions and FIG. 1B shows the support members 12 and base members 14 in folded positions for portability.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, elasticized cords 16 are threaded through the hollow poles of each support and base member 12, 14. FIG. 2A shows the support and base members 12, 14 in an unassembled or folded configuration for travel purposes. FIG. 2B shows the support and base members 12, 14 in assembled position to be used as a painting easel. The elasticized cords bias the support and base member 12, 14 in a pyramid-shaped configuration.

FIGS. 3A-3C provide views of a peg that is used to attach a drawing canvas to the easel. The peg has a shaft that can be inserted into one of the support members and a set of parallel plates that define a channel to receive a frame member of the drawing canvas.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the easel with a drawing canvas attached. The drawing canvas held to the easel with the peg as explained above.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the drawing canvas is also fixed to the easel by wrapping an elasticized cord 20 around the support members 12 and securing hooks on each end of the cord to nails or another type of fastening device secured to a frame member of the drawing canvas.

Referring to FIG. 7A-7E, the easel also includes a dual-purpose carrying pouch 30 to store the easel components and to provide stability to the assembled easel. Referring to FIGS. 7B and 7C, the carrying pouch 30 has a diamond shape and has velcro fasteners 32, 34 at three edges. Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7E, the carrying pouch can be folded into triangle and the corners folded over the base members 14. A book or other object can then be placed on the pouch 30 to stabilize the easel. FIG. 7D, shows the pouch in a carrying or folded position, with the components of the easel are wrapped inside the pouch. A handle 36 attached to the pouch can be used to transport the easel.

In order to set up the easel, the artist removes the base and support members from the carrying pouch. The base members are placed on a flat surface in a triangular configuration. The support members are extended from the base members in a pyramidal-shaped configuration. The artist attaches the carrying pouch to the base members to stabilize the easel. The height of the easel can be adjusted by using the adjustable locking mechanisms on to extend or reduce the length of each base and support member. The artist then secured the drawing frame to the easel by attaching the peg to a drawing frame member and inserting the shaft of the peg into a support member. The elasticized cord is also wrapped around the support members and each end is hooked onto a drawing frame member.

Because of the easel's tetrahedral configuration, combined with the fact that when a frame has its main anchor at the apex of the tetrahedron, the center of gravity of the easel is enhanced, making it a stable painting platform. By contrast, conventional easels generally support the painting at its base. While this might seem to indicate a lower center of gravity, in fact it simply locates the force vectors (due to gravity) away from the baricenter of the easel. Also, when an easel supports a painting at its base, it is easier for the painting to tip and fall forward off the easel. This is a common problem if the upper bracket that holds the painting becomes loose and the wind catches it or someone brushes it with an arm or shoulder for example. With the current invention, when the poles lengths of the easel change and vary the angle of the easel, the relationship of the force due to the weight of a painting still tends to stay inside the volume of the tetrahedron thus allowing for greater range of stable positions.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. 

1. An easel, comprising: a first, second and third base member configurable as a triangle; and a first, second and third support member configurable to extend from each of the vertices of the triangle and to terminate in a common vertex thereby defining a tetrahedron.
 2. The easel of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third base member include hollow poles and further comprising: an elasticized cord passed through the first, second and third base member.
 3. The easel of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third support members include hollow poles and further comprising: an elasticized cord passed through the first, second and third support member.
 4. The easel of claim 1, wherein: the first base member comprises a first inner base pole, a first outer base pole and an adjustable locking mechanism to attached the first inner base pole to the first outer base pole; the second base member comprises a second inner base pole, a second outer base pole and an adjustable locking mechanism to attached the second inner base pole to the second outer base pole; and the third base member comprises a third inner base pole, a third outer base pole and an adjustable locking mechanism to attached the third inner base pole to the third outer base pole.
 5. The easel of claim 1, wherein: the first support member comprises a first inner support pole, a first outer support pole and an adjustable locking mechanism to attached the first inner support pole to the first outer support pole; the second support member comprises a second inner support pole, a second outer support pole and an adjustable locking mechanism to attached the second inner support pole to the second outer support pole; and the third support member comprises a third inner support pole, a third outer support pole and an adjustable locking mechanism to attached the third inner support pole to the third outer support pole.
 6. The easel of claim 1, further comprising: a carrying pouch that includes a flat panel and more than one attachment mechanism to attach the first, second and base member to the flat panel.
 7. The easel of claim 6, wherein the more than one attachment mechanism comprises a hook and loop fabric fastener.
 8. The easel of claim 1, further comprising a peg having a shaft insertable in the first, second or third support member and attachable to a picture frame.
 9. The easel of claim 8, wherein the peg includes a first plate and a second plate attached to the shaft to define a channel that receives the picture frame.
 10. The easel of claim 1, further comprising: a first hook; a second hook; and an elasticized cord between the first hook and the second hook; the first hook and the second hook being attachable to a picture frame member and the elasticized cord being securable to one or more of the first, second and third support member.
 11. The easel of claim 10, further comprising: a tightening device to reduce the length of the elasticized cord.
 12. An easel, comprising: a first, second and third base member configurable as a triangle; a first, second and third support member configurable to extend from each of the vertices of the triangle; an elasticized cord extending through the first, second and third base member and the first, second and third support member to bias the base members and the support members in a tetrahedral shape; a carrying pouch that attachable to the first, second and third base member; and a peg insertable within one of the support members to receive a picture frame member.
 13. A method of setting up an easel having base members configurable as a triangle, support members configurable to extend from each of the vertices of the triangle and to terminate in a common vertex, an elasticized cord extending through the base and support members and a carrying pouch, the method comprising: setting the base members on a flat surface in a triangular configuration; extending the support members from the base members to define a tetrahedral shape; and attaching the a carrying pouch to the base members and attaching a picture frame member to one of the support members. 